Inauguration Day is right around the corner, but many kids don’t fully understand what happens on that day. It’s typical for us to plan election activities for our students. However, we don’t always give the inauguration the same amount of attention. This time around, I’m going to see this process all the way to the finish line.
First though, we couldn’t find a simple book about Inauguration Day, so we created one our students could manage. As you plan your lessons for this topic, know there are some great videos for kids online. But if you’d like a text they can read and work with, check out this one, Let’s Read All About Inauguration Day. It’s best for children in first and second grade, but would also work with older children who need extra support.
The text teaches young readers about Inauguration Day using kid-friendly language and clear illustrations with nonfiction text features to support comprehension. Plus, it doesn’t focus on any specific candidate, so it’s evergreen. I like good things that are also low maintenance, so that’s a win for me.
When you’re done reading and discussing the text, save a little time for some follow up work focused on simple research, phonics development, and letter writing. All the pages are ready to print and go… no fuss.
For schools on a winter break during this time, you could send portions of the resource home for parents to use. It’s a great way to support families who want to have age-appropriate conversations with their children about Inauguration Day.
ENGAGING ACTIVITIES FOR INAUGURATION DAY
We like the paper-pencil activities shared above, but we also want to balance that out with other learning opportunities. As you’re making decisions about your lesson plans for Inauguration Day, give these ideas some consideration.
- Watch a Kid-Friendly Video about Inauguration Day – Find a short, age-appropriate video clip of a past inauguration. Have a discussion about what the children notice… the people, flags, cheering, speakers, etc. Pause to explain important parts like the oath of office and the speech.
- Write Your Own Presidential Speech – Prompt the students to think by asking, “If you were president, what would you want to do to help people? What would you want to say?” Give them time to write their own speech or inaugural address and save time to let volunteers share theirs with the whole class.
- Design a Parade Float – Talk about the parade that is held on Inauguration Day. Let the children create mini parade floats using shoe boxes, toy cars, cardboard, and other craft supplies.
- Make a Presidential Seal – Show the children the official Presidential Seal and discuss what the different elements, such as the eagle and stars, mean. Then, challenge them to design their own seal using paper plates, markers, and craft supplies. Save time to let them explain the symbols they chose and why.
- Create a Timeline of Inauguration Day Events – Use pictures and simple captions to create a timeline showing the main events of Inauguration Day. Children can help arrange the events in order.
- Have a Patriotic Sing Along – Teach the children a patriotic song like America the Beautiful or This Land Is Your Land. Talk about the lyrics and what they mean. Then, sing the songs together before watching the inauguration.
AN INAUGURATION DAY READ-ALOUD
Though there aren’t a lot of children’s books specifically about Inauguration Day, I like A Parade for George Washington by David A. Adler. This historical fiction picture book tells the story of Washington’s first inauguration, giving a glimpse into how the tradition began.
After watching the current inauguration, read Adler’s book. It’ll be a great opportunity to compare and contrast the two events… past and present.
Until next time, happy teaching!
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